


Carpe Noctem

by littlelavendeer



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-02 21:55:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14554332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlelavendeer/pseuds/littlelavendeer
Summary: Fantasy AU where duelers are magic wielders!Seto Kaiba is one of the wealthiest barons in the kingdom. His magical expertise draws the attention of many fans, including a member of the royal court. However, plots against the throne throw Kaiba into an unexpected journey full of magic, mischief, and danger.Rated M for language & potentially graphic content





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> Hi friends-
> 
> For whatever reason, this idea popped into my head outta nowhere. Don't mind me participating in a fandom nearly a decade after my initial exposure ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ  
> Anyway, I hope you all like it!! 
> 
> *Rated M for language, potentially graphic content, and potential maybe future sassy times between characters.

Static crackled and sparked against Kaiba’s skin. Electric tendrils trailed from his hands; blue smoke licked and curled around his palms. Bursts of light surged from his fingertips as he pulled the first card from his deck.

He inhaled.

Exhaled.

And suddenly, with a sharp snap of the card, a pulse of energy sent ripples through the arena. The ball of light hummed for a moment before wings began taking shape. They stretched and unfurled from the figure, materializing scales and claws and a head and then a dragon, all at once. 

Kaiba was one of the most skilled conjurers and he knew how to put on a show. Duels like these were common enough, but when someone with magical abilities like Seto Kaiba’s entered the competition, spectators from all around gathered to witness the spectacle. Merchants and craftsmen and travelers alike stopped to marvel at the iridescent dragon that obeyed Kaiba’s every command. The poor kid that challenged him didn’t stand a chance. With a flick of his wrist, Kaiba sent the dragon across the battle arena to slash through the meager familiar the kid had summoned. Despite the impending defeat, the kid gawked as the streaks of lightning descended upon his monster.

An uproarious applause sounded as soon as the blinding lights faded. Cheer and hoots and hollers emanated from the crowd as Kaiba dismissed his dragon. He turned to face the crowd and simply nodded his head before collecting his items.

Fights like these certainly looked impressive, but the truth of the matter was that Kaiba was _bored._ He hadn’t face an opponent that even remotely put up a fight in months, and he was growing tired of the simple, flashy games. He slung his pack over his shoulder and began his trek back home.

Truthfully, Seto Kaiba was one of the wealthiest barons in this kingdom.  His duels (if they could even be called proper duels) with these amateur conjurers were his way of relieving the boredom of courtly duties. Mingling with the commoners was generally something not practiced by other barons, but he much preferred their company over the snobbish, deceitful lords and ladies of the court. Their interactions were only ever for their own benefits, and their continual attempts to schmooze their way to the top grew tiresome. So instead, he’d throw on a cowl and pack his bags, and make his way into the surrounding counties. Thanks to the rumors circulating about the elusive Lord Kaiba’s appearance, few of the commoners even knew what he looked like. When he was out, he was almost never recognized as the baron, but rather, as the magician with the great dragon.

Once he was within his manor’s walls, he shed his coats and cowl and handed his bags over to the awaiting maids. The servants helped him clean and bathe before preparing dinner for Seto and his younger brother. Seto had been given the barony for his service to the late King many moons ago. His brother, Mokuba, was five years his junior and had accompanied Seto when he was granted the estate, as Mokuba had no land or title of his own.

The two chatted amicably over roasted pheasant and creamy potato leek soup. The servants kept their goblets full of honeyed wine while plates and dishes were cleared away for the other courses. Seto had just about had his fill when a servant approached him with a scroll.

“My Lord, a letter was sent to you today. It’s from the royal court.”

Kaiba lowered the goblet from his lips and loosed a steely gaze toward the obviously new recruit. While he certainly wasn’t malicious toward his servants, Kaiba had a code of conduct he expected the help to follow. Interrupting dinner with news from the Duke of Wherever-the-Fuck guaranteed a foul mood and an incurable headache. 

“Send it to my study.”

“But my Lord, the courier insisted this was of great urgency and I just thought--”

Mokuba couldn’t help but laugh through his mouthful of apple tart, sending crumbs across the table. Kaiba audibly groaned and pulled his hands down his face. One hand came to rest across his temples as he laid his other palm open to receive whatever this dunce insisted on giving him during his meal. The boy laid the parchment down and quickly scuttled away in hopes of escaping punishment. 

Kaiba paused as he examined the scroll. This particular parchment was delicate and light, nothing like the standard thick fabric he was so used to receiving. He slowly pulled it open. Instead of the large, gilded lettering of royal orders or decrees, simple sentences were scrawled onto the page in ink.

“I’ve heard the rumors, but today I saw your capabilities with my own eyes. I want to talk with you. Meet me at the tavern near the river, tomorrow at dusk. -- YM”

::

As the sun began its descent the following day, Kaiba gathered up his things and packed his bag. He had been contemplating the letter nearly all day: where did this letter come from? _Who_ did this letter come from? He knew the names of nearly every member of the royal court, and a great number of the members of the extended nobility. No one had the initials Y.M. unless, perhaps, there was a new addition? Mokuba had tried to convince him to leave it alone. There certainly wasn’t any practical use for a noble to meet with some anonymous sender in a crowded pub late at night. But the more he thought about, the more interested he became. The tavern wasn’t far, and even if no one showed up, he wouldn’t mind the chance to practice some of his newer spells on the way back. Once the sky showed the faintest tint of purple, he set off down the road.

::

The tavern was well populated with its usual evening guests when Seto arrived. The bard sang his songs over the clamour of clattering dishes, drunken slurs, and outbursts of laughter. Kaiba sat at the end of the main hall. He hoped his distance from the crowds would encourage his unknown observer to reveal themself. 

By the time the bard had finished his fifth song since Kaiba had arrived, he began to think the meeting was a bust. He stood and pushed in his chair. But as he turned to leave, a hooded figure blocked his path and put its hand against his shoulder.

The figure gestured back to the table as they spoke, “Please, sit.”

Seto took his place back at the table and waited for the figure to introduce themself to him. Instead, the person left to the bar to order two pints and a half loaf of bread with cheese.

Only when the plates of food were served to the table did the figure remove the cloth obstructing the lower half of their face. Kaiba observed it carefully but still could not identify this person. What was going on?

“I can assure you, your drink isn’t poisoned.”

Kaiba blinked away his thoughts. “Excuse me?”

“Your drink. You haven’t touched it.”

“Oh, uh. Sorry.” He took a small sip from the worn mug before continuing. “If I may, I have a few questions for you.”

“I would assume more than a few,” the person huffed a shallow laugh before turning their face to Kaiba. “But regardless, food before business.” They held up the platter of cheese.

The rest of the meal continued in silence. The bar maiden came by to collect the empty plates and mugs and still no word. Suddenly, the figure stood and motioned for Seto to follow. They left the tavern and traveled down to the riverbank before the person removed their hood. Kaiba was growing impatient. 

“What am I doing here and who the hell are you?”

“Seto Kaiba, I’ve been gathering information about your whereabouts and magical abilities for quite some time. It’s nice to finally meet face to face.”

“If you know who I am then you should use my title. Now answer my questions!”

“My apologies, Lord Kaiba. I simply thought you admired discretion as much as I do.”

“Stop avoiding me." 

The person sighed. Finally, they yielded.

“My name is Yugi and I require your assistance.”

“Yugi. Huh.” Kaiba cautiously worded his sentence in order to hopefully gain more information as to what the hell was happening without actually committing to anything. “Well, what is it that you’d have me do?”

Yugi surveyed the area before continuing, this time in a hushed whisper.

“My full name is Yugi Muto. I’ve been living in safety with my grandfather but recent events have made it impossible to stay hidden.” 

Kaiba froze. “Muto…? As in…?” 

“I am the Crown Prince, heir to the throne. My father was assassinated and your life may be in danger too.”

Just moments after the words left Yugi’s mouth, a distinctive _THWACK_ rang out. Bolts from an unknown number of crossbows came streaming at the pair from the darkness. Kaiba pulled his cards from his pack quickly and was about to begin summoning monsters. Yugi snapped his hand to Kaiba’s wrist, eyes wide and mouth agape. “Not here,” Yugi mouthed. He pulled Seto into a run. 

Kaiba was just a few feet behind Yugi, racing through the darkness with no light and no magic. He felt like an unarmed fool. 

Another burst of arrows pelted the ground, barely missing the duo. Kaiba stopped momentarily to turn and cast a shield, but he was too slow. A single arrow sunk its teeth into his thigh. His flesh seared with pain, blood already dripping down his leg. He screamed in agony.

 

Yugi turned just in time to see a second arrow plunge into Kaiba’s chest.


	2. The Magician

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends, I'm back!
> 
> I know this update took awhile and this chapter is quite a bit shorter than the last -- I'm sorry!  
> I had final exams and house things to take care of, but I should be able to figure out some kind of regular schedule here soon! 
> 
> I wanted to say a quick thanks for the support on this fic's first chapter. I've really had a lot of fun writing this fic so far and I have lots of (hopefully) exciting things to come.
> 
> That's all I have for now <3 I hope you all enjoy this update!!

Blinding pain overwhelmed Kaiba's senses. Unrelenting, white-hot pain. He was in too much of stupor to do anything, his eyes threatening to fail as darkness swirled into his peripheral vision.

He staggered backward but the movement sent fresh waves of pain throughout his body. Yugi was yelling for him but he couldn’t bring himself to respond. Kaiba collapsed to his knees.

Suddenly Yugi was in front of him, separating Kaiba from the incoming foes. The prince had his own deck of spells in his hand, energy already pooling around the cards. Instead of drawing a card though, Yugi had spoken some kind of incantation. The foreign words seemed to hang in the air. Swirls of light began encompassing Yugi’s body and a bright flash made Kaiba shield his eyes.

When he turned back to face the battle, Yugi no longer resembled the shrouded man he’d met. He was noticeably taller and more muscular, the angles of his face now sharper and more defined. A faint purple aura outlined his body. New Yugi drew magic from this aura to cast a spell, the movement visible as energy flowed from the outline around him down his arms. A silhouette of hazy purple energy formed where Yugi’s outstretched finger pointed. The conjuration stretched and took the shape of something wielding a staff, but Kaiba could no longer hold on. The thrall had just begun to charge at their attackers when Kaiba slipped into unconsciousness.

Yugi’s thrall bared its teeth and braced for impact. Swords clashed with the staff, metal and magic sparking at the collision. The onslaught faltered once the conjuration began casting spells of its own. Stunned gasps from the attackers were followed by heavy footfalls as they scrambled out of the way of the blast.  Yugi took advantage of the brief pause to pull two cards from his deck. He held the first up and began casting immediately. With a short pulse of his aura, the purple haze expanded into a protective ward in front of Yugi. He held onto the second card tightly as he ran to Kaiba’s prone body.

Yugi slid to a halt and kneeled by Kaiba’s side. His fingers trembled slightly as he gently placed the card on Kaiba’s chest. He hadn’t seen the wounds up close, but now he could see the severity of them. The arrow in Kaiba’s chest had missed his heart, but the one in his leg had nicked his artery. Blood had begun pooling around his lifeless body.

_You did this to him._

Yugi tried shaking away the thought.  “Now is not the time for reprimands” he all but snarled aloud.

He closed his eyes and focused his energy down to his palms and placed them on top of the card. After a shaky inhalation, he activated the spell. A violet gel formed over both of Kaiba’s wounds. The spell was enough to temporarily stop the bleeding, but Kaiba needed serious medical attention and he needed it _now._

Yugi pulled Kaiba onto his shoulder and hurried out of the line of sight. The thrall was still occupying the enemies but Yugi was growing tired and couldn’t keep up the combination of spells that controlled the fighter, shield, and healer for much longer.

He pulled Kaiba back towards the tavern, taking care to be both silent and speedy. He spotted the horses and hurried to lift Kaiba onto the back of one of the tawny mares. He untied her restraints and then pulled himself up onto the saddle. Yugi swiped his hand across the empty air to withdraw his ward. He had enough energy to maintain the magician as a distraction just long enough to be well away from the tavern before the enemies were aware of their disappearance. He pulled the horse away from the stable and started into a gallop.

::

The sun had just started to peak above the horizon by the time Yugi arrived at his destination. A small cottage sat behind thickets of brambles and bushes, it’s presence only known to previous visitors. The pastel pinks and oranges of sunrise streaked across the sky, casting a warm tint on the surroundings.

Brilliant blue and purple morning glories that climbed over the exterior walls bloomed at the kiss of sunlight on their petals. Shrubs of lavender and sage grew alongside bunches of mint, rosemary, and mugwort on one side of the cottage while wolfsbane and deadly nightshade occupied the other. Yugi was _very_ careful to avoid the latter as he struggled to pull Kaiba toward the door. He no longer had the strength of his post-incantation self and the battle had left him weary.

Yugi knocked against the door rhythmically, recalling the pattern from his past visits. A gust of wind blew against the overhead windchimes The door slowly creaked open autonomously.

Inside, a slender woman fussed over tinctures and bottles of oils. Her rich brown hair stopped bluntly at the nape of her neck, revealing a sprite that clung to the collar of her dress. A sprig of thyme rested behind her ear, but both the herb and the fairy were knocked loose as the woman whipped her head around at the sound of footsteps.

“With all due respect, Your Royal Highness, I’d appreciate some kind of notice if you’re going to continue to bring strange men to my home.”

For just a moment, Yugi all but forgot about the attack, the fight, the bloodstained body. In that instant, he was free to imagine what kind of lighthearted situation this all could have been. A crimson blush spread across Yugi's face. “Téa, what the hell? N-no, that’s not what this is.”

But reality came crashing back. Once she saw the state of the other man, Tèa’s entire demeanour changed. A solemn expression clouded over her face. She snapped her fingers and the herbs, jars, books, and slumbering fairies that were occupying the nearby table were quickly skirted away. She ushered Yugi to place Kaiba on top of the table.

“He was shot last night, I got him here as quickly as I could.”

“Has he been responsive?”

“No, I couldn’t get anything from him. Téa he was defending me. I tried to stop any further blood loss but I’m no medic. I’m so sorry for the intrusion but I didn’t know where else to go.”

Yugi watched as she pulled open Kaiba’s eyelids. The fairy that had nestled itself in her hair held up a small orb of light. She checked Kaiba’s vitals before turning back to her friend.

“Yugi, I have this covered. You’re in no state to sit and watch me pull out arrows from your boy, and I can feel your exhaustion from here. I hereby ban you from the room.”

He tried to protest but a flurry of fairies tugged on his clothing and hair. They pulled and hissed and flashed their tiny teeth. He finally conceded and allowed them to guide him into the next room and onto the bed. The severity of the night’s events was finally catching up to him. With the safety and solitude of the cottage, the swell of emotions that had been building was now free to flood. Hot tears pricked his eyes, and soon they streamed down his face without restraint. He felt anger, betrayal, a deep gut-wrenching sadness. A man he had brought into the fray now faced unimaginable pain. A coil of bitter, vile feelings settled into his core. Mostly, he just felt exhausted. Completely, utterly exhausted.

A fairy presented a small, opalescent bottle with the whispered promise, “ _To help you sleep.”_ He was too tired to consider the contents or doubt the fairy’s intentions. Yugi took the bottle and slammed back the milky liquid. Anything to forget the image of Kaiba getting shot before him.

The iridescent wings of the fairies fluttered with anticipation. A light hum filled the room from the beat of their wings. Lilting voices began singing in harmonies as Yugi took the drink. In an instant, he felt himself forcibly pushed away from consciousness.

 

_“Sleep now, sleep sweet._

_Let slumber come,_

_And be your treat._

_For mornings come,_

_And evenings go,_

_And there’s much left_

_For you to know.”_


End file.
